


Coffee Notes

by Crazyloststar



Series: FFXV Zine Stories [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, M/M, romance writer gladio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:41:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29267415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazyloststar/pseuds/Crazyloststar
Summary: “Mr. Sagefire, at your service.”Gladio blinked.Sagefire simply waited, and took a sip of his drink.“You…” Gladio leaned forward, “you’re Mr. Sagefire.”***Written forParallel Love, a Gladnis AU Zine
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Series: FFXV Zine Stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021998
Comments: 12
Kudos: 45





	Coffee Notes

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday, Ignis! please accept this humble offering of this au, featuring gladio as a romance writer and ignis as a critic. :333
> 
> This is a slightly expanded version of my piece for the Parallel Love zine! The PDF is still available for sale.

Gladiolus Amicitia was not a nervous guy—not counting specific moments in his life that had become exceptions to the rule. He could count _those_ on one hand.

This moment, it was making him have to use a second hand.

Gladio’s leg bounced and tapped his fingers against his coffee cup. He even got the ceramic ones they offered to those who were sitting inside and not taking their drink to go. He wanted to seem as amiable as possible.

Any minute, _he_ would be walking through the doors of the coffee shop.

Mr. Sagefire, the most renowned, and critical, of all romance critics.

Gladio didn’t know what the guy looked like; he didn’t make public appearances and used the pseudonym so that people - writers - couldn’t find him.

Which made the fact that he had agreed to meet Gladio all the more interesting. And terrifying.

Each time the door opened Gladio sat upright and then quickly relaxed at seeing someone he deemed not the critic.

Gladio had conjured up an image of what someone like Sagefire - who enjoyed tearing apart the work someone had spent months over, looked like over all these years. Probably would think he was much too posh for this hole in the wall place, glasses high on his nose, and an expression stuck on his face as if he had just smelled something bad. A big nose. Annoying grin. Bad teeth.

The image Gladio conjured up became more and more ridiculous, sure, but it helped calm his nerves. He hadn’t expected Sagefire, _the_ critic, to accept his offer to meet for coffee to discuss his review of Gladio’s latest novel. He had been drinking at the time, and his buddies had pushed him to do it as a gag…

Served him right, probably. But Gladio hadn’t even assumed Sagefire was local. He could have been across the sea in Altissia, or even in Tenebrae, for all he had known.

The door opened and Gladio shot upright in his seat but didn’t expect much.

The man who entered didn’t seem the critic type - cozy deep burgundy scarf loosely wrapped around his neck, casual long brown coat over a white shirt, smart shoes at the end of well-fitted pants.

But also, gorgeous face.

Like the guy could be a model gorgeous. Sharp jaw, perfectly shaped lips, bright green eyes. Light brown hair styled carefully over his forehead, a few strands resting just perfectly over his glasses.

Gladio remembered himself and shook his head and focused on taking a sip of coffee as the man stood in line. He was nice to look at, and if Gladio didn’t already have someone to meet, he would jump at the chance to throw on his charms and convince the man to sit with him.

Maybe things with Sagefire would wrap up quickly. He wasn’t intending to say much; at this point Gladio just hoped meeting the guy face to face would help with future book reviews. He wouldn’t make him retract the review he had just published, no matter how much it stung.

Gladio watched the man move from ordering coffee, to getting a cup handed to him. He wore dark brown leather gloves and his fingers looked long.

Gladio cleared his throat.

The man turned and walked, towards Gladio. He appreciated the view, and perhaps he did put on his best smile over his cup before he took a sip as the man neared.

And then stopped at his table.

Gladio had to hide the giddy feeling in his chest.

“Gladiolus Amicitia?” A voice, smooth like honey, low and with a soft accent. Tenebraen.

“That’s me,” he answered, setting his cup down and resting back in his chair, legs spreading a little.

He had to keep it together to not make a face when the guy _slid into the seat across from him_. But he did raise an eyebrow as he set down his own cup of coffee - also not a to-go cup - and folded his hands into his lap.

“Mr. Sagefire, at your service.”

Gladio blinked.

Sagefire simply waited, and took a sip of his drink.

“You…” Gladio leaned forward, “you’re Mr. Sagefire.”

Sagefire nodded. “I must admit I was surprised you wanted to meet after my review,” Gladio shifted and took a drink to avoid saying something rude, “but I do appreciate your maturity in the situation.”

“Yeah, well,” shit, Gladio needed water, not coffee. His throat constricted and his tongue weighed heavy in his mouth.

“I do hope you understand, art in all forms is subjective, and I have enjoyed your other works. This one was just such a departure. I’m not sure you had good guidance-”

Gladio raised his hand up because naw, Sagefire didn’t get to lead the conversation here. “Look, Mr. Sagefire-”

“Ignis,”

“Huh?”

“Ignis, is my name. Sagefire is just a handle. In real life I find it awkward to be referred to by that name.”

Gladio’s train of thought was quickly running off the tracks. Nothing that was happening made sense. Sagefire was supposed to be a recluse, someone who didn’t want his real identity known.

“Okay, Ignis. Listen, I just wanted to lay everything out on the table. Your review was pretty brutal, but I hoped that maybe…”

“That if I met you, I would be instantly charmed, and therefore unable to give a negative review again, and perhaps even retract my latest one?” Ignis took a sip of coffee, but didn’t look away.

Gladio stared.

“I’m,” Gladio looked down at his hands and released the coffee cup he had nearly squeezed out of existence.

“It’s understandable,” Ignis continued, “and you’re not the first to reach out about a review. Usually it’s done via email correspondence, so I admit I was intrigued you were willing to meet in person. I thought perhaps you really believe in your powers of persuasion.”

Mind in overdrive, Gladio dropped his hands to his thighs as he worked through what to do now.

Gladio cleared his throat. “Okay, fine. You got me.” When he looked back up, he met a soft, gentle gaze; Ignis wasn’t mocking him. Not yet at least.

“That book was a departure, you’re right.” Gladio relaxed in his chair. “My agent pushed me to try something different from a standard romance, and. . . I don’t know. I’ve been feeling, restless? I guess? So, I ran with it.”

Ignis’s face gave nothing away as he listened.

“So yeah, s’why I reached out. I took a risk, and I mean, you’ve been the only one to just. Lay me out like that. Everyone else loves it-”

“Everyone else is kissing your ass.”

Gladio paused. For some reason hearing a word like _ass_ come from someone who looked like Ignis startled him.

Ignis shifted and leaned forward. “Gladiolus-”

“Gladio,”

“Gladio,” Ignis splayed one hand out on the table. Gladio tried not to be distracted by it, by how long his fingers were, by the way the leather sounded against the wooden surface, “you are an extremely talented writer. I believe this through and through. I have read everything you have written, even if I haven’t reviewed it all.”

It was Gladio’s turn to lean forward, Ignis’s fingers falling away from his mind. “What?”

“That,” Ignis tapped his fingers for emphasis, “is why I was harsh.”

Gladio still wasn’t sure he really understood what Ignis was trying to say here. Or maybe he did, but wasn’t really sure he could believe it. “Why?”

“Because I believe in you, and I know you could do better. You were led astray, it seems, and so I apologize. I couldn’t have known that of course, but it all makes sense now.”

Gladio narrowed his eyes, pushing himself even further across the table so he could whisper. “You fucking with me?”

Ignis mimicked his position and stared right back. They were just a few inches from each other, stretched across the small table.

“I am not. I do not _fuck_ with people, Gladio.”

This time there was a very definite chill that went from the base of his spine into his stomach at the tone in Ignis’s voice. But he pushed forward, determined to catch this guy in whatever prank he was trying to pull here.

“Alright then, which book is your favorite?”

Ignis didn’t even blink before answering. “The Knight of Shadows”

Gladio felt his eye twitch a little. “Favorite line.”

Once again, Ignis didn’t move an inch to give away any sort of indication that he had to think hard about his answer. “In you, my spirit found a new taste for life: it found an elixir for pain, as well as pain without cure.”

Gladio opened his mouth. Shut it again. _The Knight of Shadows_ was one of his most obscure, earlier novels, more of a cult classic for hardcore fans. It wasn’t even sold anywhere anymore as far as he knew.

This guy was serious. Mr. Sagefire was a...fan?

“Okay, so you’re not messin’ with me,” Gladio didn’t move back into his seat. Instead, he rested his chin on his hand and let his voice drop into a low whisper, “want to come over to my place and talk books some more?”

Ignis scoffed, but the look in his eyes remained playful. “Wooing me will not guarantee a positive review.”

Gladio grinned cheekily. “So, you agree, I’m wooing you?”

Finally, Ignis seemed to have been caught off guard. He pinched his lips together.

Gladio took the moment to at last sit back and take up his cup to finish his coffee. “I mean it, literally. I have a small library in my house, come over and let’s talk books.”

This time Ignis laughed, lifting his hand to cover his mouth as he did, but his eyes crinkled up a little. The sound of it was so warm. Gladio wanted to hear more.

Ignis lifted his own cup as he dried his eyes. “Only if you have coffee, I seem to have run out.”

It was Gladio’s turn to laugh. He stood and collected both their cups to return them to the counter. “I’m a writer, you know I have coffee.”

“Well then,” Ignis rose as well, adjusting his coat, “I shall have to figure out a way to express my gratitude for your _bean_ such a gracious host.”

Ignis was nice enough to help cover the cost of the two cups Gladio dropped on the floor while he laughed so hard the whole café went quiet.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed. Please let me know what you thought! I just can't get enough of Gladio as a romance writer 8D


End file.
